Study Date

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Time for a little one on one with my man Tony. I'm working on really getting my meal plans to perfection and studying the moves so I am engaging all of my muscles. This book is my new best friend- lots of great info esp if you are just starting.

Word to the wise, order it from Beachbody. I saw it in Walmart for $27!! It's on BB for like $16! If you're going to do something, might as well do it right! Then I am hopping on our team call to discuss how are you going to changes lives!!! <3

Keep pushing play! Keep working at it! Rome wasn't built in a day :)

If you need help, please email me! I can add you to our support group as well, just go here!


PS while Im working out...Sydney is doing this....NOTHING. Little lazy brat lol but she's so dang cute!!

Motivational Towels!

Has anyone seen these yet? They are too cute! I love the "C is for Crunches, not Cookies!"


http://www.wordstosweatby.com/shop/towels/the-original-words

Meal Plan

5:30am – workout (cardio or weights, depending on the day)
7am – breakfast (1/2 c oatmeal, 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese, green tea)
8am –work!
10am – snack at work (protein bar or shake)
1pm – lunch (grilled chicken, steam veggies, greek yogurt)
4:30pm- snack (fat free cottage cheese)
6pm – workout (if I didn’t make it to the gym in the morning)
7pm – dinner (grilled chicken or egg whites, 1/2 sweet potato)
10pm – snack (only if I’m super hungry)

P90X from a Women's Perspective

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

P90X: A Woman’s Perspective

Expectations: I started P90X with the desire to become more fit, stronger, lower my body fat ratio, firm up my lower body for bathing suit wear, and gain endurance/balance!
Background: I’m 5’3” and was a 20 lbs over my goal weight at the start of the program = def room for improvement.
Gear: Not much! I started with 5 & 10lb weights, a yoga mat and a pull-up bar. You can use more/less weights a yoga block and new work-out clothes are always fun! 

Support: Bombshell Dynasty Support Group!



Synopsis of my final thoughts:
Completing P90X has been a true feat of persistence, drive, and stick-to-it-ness. I am very proud of the strength that I’ve gained and the things that I’ve learned about how to keep my body in the best shape I possibly can. However, here are my observations and frustrations.

1. The Learning Curve
There are a lot of things I just hadn’t spent a lot of time doing before the program.
For example, I found out half-way through the program that I was not using the proper technique for pull-ups (something I have little familiarity with). Similarly, having only limited experience with kick-boxing, for the first two phases, I was mainly punching from my arm instead of my full body, and not using my glutes to maximize my kicks. It is sometimes difficult to understand exactly how/which Tony is using his muscles in the video, and if you don’t have surrounding mirrors, it is difficult to see your form, let alone modify! Pull-ups and Kenpo kicks are just a few of the things I had to learn, and had I previous knowledge of the best way to do these, I would have gotten much more out of the program.

Moral of the story: There is only so much you can glean from a 2D screen. Use mirrors! Or, have a workout Buddy critique your form. Take the time to watch Tony do and talk about the move before you try it, and listen carefully to his instructions! Feel free to take breaks to familiarize yourself with the material so you can do it better.


2. Legs and Glutes
The P90X workout focuses A LOT on the upper body and core; and much less on legs and glutes. If I were going to change this program for women, I would have a legs/glutes day instead of one of the shoulders/arms/chest/back days. Plyometrics (and Kenpo, for that matter) is great for your legs and butt, however, I’d prefer to also have a workout that specifically targets the glutes and legs as the main focus – not as overall endurance as the man focus. That being said, I feel like my glutes are stronger, but their strength has not increased as much as my beefcakey arms, shoulders, and back!


Moral of the story: Use Plyo and Kenpo to maximize your leg workouts. Get DEEP into all lunges and squats (add weight whenever you can), and kick focusing on the glute as the beginning of the extension (don’t default to the quads and hamstrings). Also, if you have time (and are crazy), add running. That will really help your legs/butt get leaner and stronger. Im also using Brazilian Butt Lift!!

3. Weight Loss
Weigh yourself every 30 days, but don't focus on the scale!!! A lot of that weight converts to muscle. Measure your inches!!!


Did I follow the P90X diet guide? The answer is yes, yes I did, starting in Phase 2. I went for the “Lean” diet with a slight calorie deficit (500k) and a strong determination. I cataloged each calorie (using www.myfitnesspal.com), and used the portion method with the meal options as ideas to guide my eating. Daily, I ate fresh, organic food (mostly raw veggies, fruit, turkey and lots of Greek Yogurt and Go Lean Crunch! Cereal). I did allow myself a good meal or an occasional beer, but almost no sodas (probably a total of 3 during the whole time), mainly water, tea, and occasional fruit juice (if I was really low on sugar). Listening to your body!!! I started eating more. It is virtually impossible to not eat or to operate on any significant calorie deficit if you “Do your Best” in each workout and have extra cardio three times a week. You need all of those calories (and more)!!!

Moral of the story: Don’t weigh yourself every day. Do your best in workouts, count calories (but don’t obsess about them), eat when you’re hungry (but only eat healthy things!). Add extra cardio (of dancing, running etc) if you want to increase your metabolism more and burn some extra calories during the day. If you start “bonking,” and can’t make it through your work outs, and a carb (whole grain). And, of course, DRINK LOTS OF WATER.

4. Have a Workout Buddy and Keep Pressing Play!
How do you maintain your enthusiasm for this program? It is very difficult to add an extra 1.5 hours of stuff to an already busy day. I have a full time job and have a pressing social calendar. At times, completing a workout was nearly unbearable...however, I had the good fortune of fellow X-er to commiserate from Day 1 to Day 90. Start your experience together, and call each other before and after workouts for encouragement and contemplation on how to achieve better results, use better technique, and make it through the day. 

Moral of the story: Have someone do the workout with you! S/he doesn’t even have to live in the same city for both of you to benefit. However, make you and your work-out buddy follow a somewhat similar schedule, and be sure there are XRewards associated with achieving small and major goals. (ie, plan a trip or event to celebrate your achievement).

5. Would I recommend P90X?
Absolutely! This is one work-out program I’ve been most successful at doing, consistently, at a high intensity for a full three months. That kind of accomplishment is tremendous.

I would recommend it to all ages, body types, ratios, providing that you have enough time to truly devote yourself to it! Part of this system is really trying to “Do your best (and forget the rest),” and if you can’t do that, then you probably should think of another way or a shorter type of work out. Anyone can modify the exercises to suit their intensity level. Even when you get Plyo down, you can always go deeper and jump higher.

6. My biggest Results
Strength:
Legs: Legs are stronger, more firm.
Butt: Now able to do side-arm-balance with a leg raise.
Arms: Beefcake galore! Do you have tickets?
Abs: getting there!
Shoulders: People stop and stare lol jk!!

Flexibility:
Nota Bene: I was NOT very flexible upon starting the program.
Hamstrings: Need a yoga block to get a few more inches in Seated hamstring stretch
Calves: Heels get much closer to the floor on Downward Dog
Back/Spine: Incredible difference.

FINAL THOUGHT: TAKE A BEFORE PICTURE!! You will be proud of your progress, believe me. Even if you don't share it with anyone, despite their yearning, you'll want to have it. Take pictures after each phase. :)

Be a Coach in the Bombshell Dynasty!

Want to help other people get fit? Have a passion for changing lives? Want to get physically and fiscally fit? Want to save 25% on Shakeoloy or other Beachbody products? If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, then you should join our team of coaches. Our team is truly growing at a breathless pace. Less than .2% of Beachbody coaches earn Star Diamond rank and I can teach you how to duplicate our team's success. The more hearts we have on our team then the more people’s lives we can change. Our coaching team is a little picky about who joins our team. You have to have a strong desire to help others and want to make a difference in reversing the trend of obesity. You have to be a product of the product and start living a healthy lifestyle. If you’ve heard how lucrative this opportunity can be and are in it just for the money- this is NOT the team for you. Our team consists of caring and compassionate people whose main desire is to help people get fit and healthy- making great money is an added bonus. We WILL win the war of obesity through TEAMWORK, COMMITMENT, INTEGRITY and MUTUAL RESPECT, which are the foundations of our coaching team.
Click here to take the first step in changing your life and many others!
And in celebration of Shakeology's 2nd Birthday- I am giving out free prize packs (worth $50) to the next 2 coaches who sign up! It'll get you on the fast track!! Sign up as a coach with a Shakeology order and I'll send you a Shakeology Cleanse to get you started! It's a team effort! :)

Traveling with P90X!

Hey guys, I found this great article from a fellow P90Xers for all of your travelers! Check it out!! 


I’ve been getting a lot of emails from P90xers lately regarding this site and their specific nutritional challenges. A common theme is that many of you are trying to figure out how to manage P90x while you are traveling and staying in hotels. This is especially challenging for folks who are home on the weekends but gone during the week. Here are a few ideas I’ve pulled together for those of you who are trying to manage P90x nutrition while away from home.
I’ve made two assumptions: 1) that you can take an ice chest with you and 2) you have access to a microwave in your hotel (either in the room, or in a common-use room. If you’re not sure, ask at your hotel. Many will have a microwave they’ll let you use if you ask nicely!).
The key here is keeping track of your portions and planning ahead. Sit down before you leave and plan out what you are going to eat each day you’re gone to make sure you have the supplies you need.
Supplies:
- Ice chest
- Tupperware/lunch bag to pack lunch items in (if necessary)
- Magic Bullet (if you want to invest in one of these, it would be handy to have so that you could make protein shakes in your hotel room. Not critical, though, if you don’t want to spend the $$)


Take along:
- Whole wheat tortillas
- Protein bars (I use Atkins Advantage bars)
- Protein powder (to help you get in enough protein servings. I use GNC 100% Whey protein)
- Recovery powder (I use Accelerade)
- Nuts (for snack)
- Canned olives (for your fat serving – if you like them. Or you can use avocado)
In your ice chest:
- Condiments: fat-free salad dressing, salsa, BBQ sauce, ketchup and mustard
- Bag of low-fat already-shredded cheddar cheese (I get the bagged cheese made with 2% milk)
- Bag of pre-washed lettuce or spinach (bag salad mix)
- Your fruit of choice (apples and pears keep well – you can also get some others at supermarkets on the road for variety)
- I’d do Green Giant vegetables. Do the no-sauce ones listed on this page: http://www.bettycrocker.com/Products/Green-Giant/Products.aspx. You can steam them right in your hotel microwave, and 1 cup of cooked vegis is one vegi serving.
- Pre-cooked items that you can heat up in the microwave. (See list of ideas below.)
I’d freeze them all so that they start out the week frozen, then if they thaw some during the week you won’t be concerned. I’ve done some research on how long non-frozen prepared foods keep at refrigerated temperatures, and everyone says 72 hours max. So if you made food on Sunday without freezing it, it’d last you till Wednesday. I’m thinking that means that if you froze it overnight and then packed it in your ice chest, and renewed the ice every other day, it’d probably last you all week. You’ll have to use your judgment regarding how long you can keep each type of food.
Take-along lunches you can pack in the hotel room:
- Already-cooked deli ham and turkey. Either slices, or chunk ham or turkey. I buy the chunk turkey ham and smoked turkey and then cut it into thicker strips to put in my hubby’s lunches. 3 oz. is one protein serving, so if necessary you can get your protein from this without heating anything up.
- V-8 – My hubby doesn’t care for vegis, so this has been a lifesaver for him. He’ll pound 1 low-sodium V-8 to get in one of his daily vegi servings. Try not to do this for more than 1 vegi serving, as part of the point of the vegis are the fiber and filling you up, and you want to switch things up so that your body is confused.
- Salad. Buy bag salad at the store and then you can pack a salad to take with you. The handy thing about this is it doesn’t require refrigeration, and you can put cut up ham, turkey, egg whites, cheese, olives on it.
- Already sliced vegis (you can buy them pre-sliced) or just buy baby carrots, broccoli, cherry tomatoes. Then take along dressing for dipping.
- Pre-packaged low-fat string cheese
Snacks:
My hubby usually has a protein bar and a V-8 for his morning snack, and 50 calories worth of nuts for his second snack.
Weekend Make-Ahead:
Here are some things you can cook before you go and take with you in your ice chest.
- Hard boiled eggs.
Easy BBQ Chicken. Make a huge batch of this and freeze it, then reheat in the microwave for a protein serving.
Burnt Green Beans My mother-in-law cooks a big batch of these and then eats on them for days at a time. My hubby doesn’t like vegis, but he loves these.
Ground Beef for tacos. You’ll use your shredded cheddar cheese, tortillas and salsa for this.
- Cook turkey bacon. This can be eaten straight, added to your salad (handy, as 2 slices is a whole protein serving) or used as an ingredient to breakfast burritos.
- Eggs – just scramble them and then freeze them. Then you can combine with your cheddar cheese, tortilla, turkey bacon, and perhaps salsa for breakfast burritos. Or combine without the tortilla if you’re going to use your carb serving later in the day.
Hamburger/Turkey patties – Assemble and cook them ahead of time, then freeze.
BBQ Meatballs – Cook and freeze.
In a pinch:
- Walk into a supermarket and get a frozen dinner based on the list at the back of the nutrition guide. This should be a last resort as it’s rather hard to estimate how these fit into the portion approach.
- In a restaurant order grilled chicken or fish and ask them what they put on it (no butter). Eat steamed vegis on the side.
- Walk into a Denny’s and ask for an egg white omelet. Have them add any vegis that you don’t mind – spinach, mushrooms, peppers. You can bring your own low-fat cheese and sprinkle it over the top.
- Fast foods – I’d stick with the salads in Phase 1. Use the back of the nutrition guide to determine which you choose, and bring your own dressing.
The hardest part is determining when you want to use that precious carb serving during the day! Do you prefer it as a tortilla for breakfast? Two slices of bread for a sandwich for lunch? Tortillas for tacos at dinner? The key is just keeping track and making sure that you don’t go overboard on the carbs, which is easy to do when away from home.
I have to say it again – keep track of what you’re eating, and make sure you are sticking to your portions. It is very easy to get very off the recommended diet if you aren’t paying attention not only to the healthiness of what you eat, but the number and size of portions.
Anyway, I hope these ideas are helpful to you, and give you a starting point! – CJ =)

Homemade Protein Bars


Ingredients:
  • 4 cups oats (the slow cook kind, not instant)
  • 6 scoops chocolate whey protein
  • 3 heaping Tablespoons UNSWEETENED baking cocoa
  • 1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup
  • 3/4 cup no-sugar added applesauce
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cups chopped/slivered almonds, toasted in a skillet until light brown
  • 1 cup low-fat peanut butter
  • 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup raisins or craisins
  • water, added 1 T at a time


Mix your wet ingredients together in one bowl and do the same for the dry. Then slowly combine the two and mix well (I use my dough hooks on my beaters because it’s VERY THICK). Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until it’s not dry and crumbly. Too much water and you’ll be sticky city. Dump onto a cookie sheet and press flat with wet hands. Cut into rectangles with pizza cutter. Makes 18 bars. I like to make a double batch, freeze them in baggies and then pull them out as I go. Delish!
Nutritional information (COMPARE mine / P90x protein bar)
calories: 294/ 260, fat: 15.3 g /7 g, carbs: 29 g/ 31 g, sugar: 12 g /23 g, protein: 16.7 g/ 20 g

P90x Nutrition Plan Portions:
1 Protein Bar is 1 Double Snack serving, 1/2 bar is 1 Single Snack serving.

Portabella Pizza Bites

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Hold onto your hats kids because these are a real treat!! There IS a place for pizza in your P90x nutrition plan, even if you’re in Phase 1. We Xers are always looking for good food carriers that don’t involve the carbs! You can use the big ones or the small little guys scream appetizer, so consider these if you’re ever looking for a tasty P90x friendly appetizer for a party. =)

Portabella Pizza Bites




Ingredients:
  • 6 mini Portabella mushrooms (or 2 large Portabella mushroom caps)
  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce (if all you have is a tomato, you can try Xed Pizza Sauce- see below!)
  • 1/2 oz. turkey pepperoni (approx. 6 slices)
  • 2 oz. black olives
  • 3 oz. low-fat Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 egg white
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean mushrooms and scoop out the insides and stem with a spoon. Place on baking pan and bake for 7 minutes.  While mushrooms are baking, grate Mozzarella, and combine in a bowl with one egg white. (Usually low-fat cheese has trouble melting, so this technique helps the cheese melt while adding a bit of protein.) Remove mushrooms from oven, and turn the broiler to High. On the mushrooms layer pizza sauce, cheese mixture, olives, and pepperoni slices. Return pan to oven and broil on High for 3 minutes or until cheese has melted and started to brown.
P90x Nutrition Plan Servings:
6 mushrooms provide 1 1/2 vegi servings, 1/2 protein serving, 1/2 fat serving, 2 dairy servings.
P.S. When cleaning your mushroom, don’t rinse them under water like I did – mushrooms are very absorbent, and I found that mine came out a bit watery.  I’ve since learned that you should just brush the dirt off of them with a cloth or paper towel.

Ingredients for Xed Pizza Sauce:
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • salt to taste
Chop tomato into small pieces, put in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute on High. Transfer tomatoes into blender, add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer back to bowl, and microwave for 1 additional minute on High.

Asian PB2 Chicken

Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
Making small changes in your diet can make a BIG difference! Start your day by drinking 2 glasses of water first thing in the morning!  And try some new recipes- you just might surprise yourself! I find that going with the healthier options not only TASTE better, but you will FEEL so much better physically! :)



Ingredients

At a glance
Entrée
Serves
4
4 Tbsp: PB2
2 tsp: Crushed fresh garlic
2 tsp: Grated fresh ginger
4 Tbsp: Light soy sauce
1/4 cup: Sliced scallions
1 cup: Water
1 Tbsp: Dijon mustard
2 tsp (to taste): Asian chili sauce or hot sauce
1 cup: Low-fat buttermilk
1/4 tsp: Pepper, salt
1 lb: Boneless skinless chick breast
1/4 cup: Fresh cilantro leaves

Mix together first 8 ingredients to make dipping sauce and set aside. Put chicken, salt, pepper, buttermilk and a third of the dipping sauce into a resealable bag and shake to coat. Marinate in fridge for up to 6 hours. (Refrigerate the rest of the dipping sauce, too). Remove chicken from bag, shake off excess and grill in a very hot pan or on a grill, (sprayed with non-stick spray) for 5 minutes on each side until cooked through. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with dipping sauce on the side. Add more or less chili sauce to the dipping sauce, depending on how spicy you like your food.

Additional Tips

Serve with a side of steamed rice and lightly steamed vegetables - like snow peas or baby bok choy.

How much do you know about FAT?

Monday, March 28, 2011

We always talk about how we want to lose weight. But that's not really what we mean. When we talk about losing weight, we're really talking about losing fat, getting rid of the spare tire, turning the keg into a six-pack. It's about more than getting ready for swimsuit season or squeezing back into your "skinny" jeans, though. More importantly, it's about having a healthy amount of body fat so we don't put ourselves at risk for myriad diseases. After all, our bodies need some fat. Fat is responsible for regulating our body temperature. It insulates our vital organs. It stores energy our bodies draw on to function. Not to mention everyone wants a few strategically placed curves and you can't get them with just bone and muscle. So what exactly is a healthy amount of body fat?
Woman Squezzing Thigh



  1. What is body fat percentage? It's simple enough. It's the amount of adipose tissue (body fat) we carry compared to our weight. A 160-pound person who is carrying 32 pounds of fat would be said to have 20 percent body fat. We all want to be working toward an ideal body fat percentage, staying within a range where we carry enough fat to feel and look healthy, but not so much that we develop the health issues associated with obesity, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. So what are the ideal ranges, and what are the best ways to get rid of unwanted excess adipose tissue, aka body fat?

    Most organizations classify a healthy body fat percentage as 20 to 25 percent for women and 8 to 15 percent for men. Women who have more than 30 percent body fat and men with more than 25 percent are generally classified as obese. There can be some variations that are still considered healthy. Athletes will tend to have less body fat, for example; however, below a certain point, low body fat can be as dangerous as high body fat. 

    There are various ways to calculate body fat percentage, with varying degrees of accuracy and expense. Many clinics offer what they describe as the only, truly accurate readings, derived from water displacement, ultrasonic, or X-ray tests. Much simpler than that are many home body fat scales. While simple, they are fairly inaccurate. The best home device is an inexpensive and simple test using skinfold calipers. These calipers measure folds of skin at various parts of the body and provide an estimate of body fat percentage based on those measurements. 

    Inaccurate or not, most trainers recommend using some sort of body fat calculation in addition to being weighed on a scale. For most of us, though, true accuracy isn't that important, just as long as we're sure our body fat percentages are going down. We can starve ourselves and lose weight to reach that goal, but a lot of that loss will be muscle loss and won't give us the healthy look or feeling most of us seek.
  2. ChaLEAN ExtremeMuscle burns fat. One reason we want to be cognizant of our body fat loss, as opposed to mere weight loss, is because muscles burn calories, and if we lose muscle, it will make burning calories—and, by extension, fat—much more difficult. Because the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn—even when you're resting! So it's important to follow an exercise program that combines resistance activities, like weight lifting, that build muscle with aerobic cardio activities that burn calories. This combination is key to the success of Beachbody's programs, including Chalene Johnson's ChaLEAN Extreme®

    The really good news is that when you exercise, your body begins turning stored fat into glucose for fuel before it begins breaking down muscle for fuel. This is why high-level athletes can eat so much and still stay sleek. Take Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps's 12,000-calorie-a-day training diet, for example. Because he has such a low percentage of body fat, he has to provide his body with enough fuel or his body will begin breaking down the proteins in his muscle, since it's pretty much out of body fat to use for fuel. During newsletter chats and on the Message Boards, P90X graduates often complain of an ammonia-like smell after working out. That smell is indicative of the protein breakdown that occurs when their elite new low-fat bodies have begun tapping into muscle for fuel. It generally means they need to start eating more to make it through the workouts—a problem most of us would love to have! Most of us aren't dealing with the problems of elite athletes trying to get enough fuel, though; we're just trying to get our bodies to approach that kind of shape. 

    One popular exercise myth is that if we're trying to lose body fat, we should just do lots of cardio and sweat and burn fat, then build muscle later. That's a sort of "lose weight now, get in shape later" approach. There's some truth there. The more we exercise, the more calories we expend and the sooner our bodies tap into our fat stores for energy. But by building up muscle, in addition to doing cardio activity, we can burn a lot more calories, even while we're at rest, and maximize the calorie burn during cardio. Plus, when the stored fat begins to melt off, there will be lean, sexy muscle in its place.
  3. How diet affects body-fat composition. Something we've discussed before is the myth that dietary fat contributes to body fat. This is only half true. The fact is that body fat, or adipose tissue, comes from stored calories. Your body fat doesn't care whether the calories come from fat, protein, or carbs. Don't believe me? Try drinking a six-pack of fat-free beer every day—you'll have a pony keg under your shirt in no time. The "beer belly" comes by its name honestly, and beer doesn't have a gram of fat in it. Neither does soda, and it's one of the main culprits behind the obesity crisis. 

    Fat does have more calories per gram than either carbohydrates or protein do, so it's wise to monitor the amount of fat in your diet, but if it's healthy fat, like the kind found in avocados, olive oil, fish, or nuts, there's no reason to exclude it from your diet. It's wise to avoid saturated and trans fats, but that has more to do with lipids in your blood, not the composition of adipose tissue.
  4. Woman Measuring Her WaistCan you target areas where you want to burn body fat? There's a French proverb that says that sooner or later, every woman must choose between her face and her bottom. What this means is that it's a myth that you can target one area of your body over another for fat loss. While we may mainly want to get rid of our guts or slim down our thighs, our bodies are largely democratic about where they take stored fat from—they take it from all over. 

    If you've seen Madonna lately, you can see the results of her latest workout regimen. She has incredibly low body fat, but her face has lost its fat as well, making her bone structure appear more prominent, with a more sunken appearance (although it looks like some cosmetic procedures may have helped her fill it out somewhat). So if you ever see advertising for any product that claims to burn fat off one part of your body and not others, it's over-promising. You can target specific muscle groups with exercise, but fat burning is a more generalized proposition.
Any activity will go a long way toward reducing body fat percentage. And health professionals advise that even a modest decrease in body fat percentage will have extraordinary health benefits. So even if achieving that ideal "supermodel" weight seems impossible, you can really enhance your quality of life by making a few minor changes in your activity level and diet. Engaging in a comprehensive program like ChaLEAN Extreme, which encompasses resistance training and aerobic exercise as well as a healthy diet, is a great place to start. Here's to seeing less of us!

P90X Meal Plan

Morning everyone!!! Here is a sample meal plan from a P90X grad who has AWESOME results. Just wanted to share to give you guys more ideas for your meal plans!! :) 


Day 1 (1900 cals)
Breakfast = Shakeology with PB2, Egg White Omelette (with diced ham, veggies)
AM Snack = Beef jerkey, apple
Lunch = Chicken lunchmeat (no bread), baby carrots, protein bar
PM Snack = Almonds, low fat cheese
PM Snack = 1.5 scoops Whey protein powder
Dinner = 1.5 Chicken breast, steamed green beans
Day 2 (1800 cals)
Breakfast = Shakeology with PB2, Homemade Wheat Bread (2 slices)
AM Snack =protein bar
Lunch =Tuna, 2 cans, strawberries, blueberries, banana
PM Snack =Beef jerky
PM Snack = 1.5 scoops Whey protein powder
Dinner = Taco Salad (romaine lettuce, ground turkey with taco seasoning, black beans) (*No chips or tortillas.  Suck it up!)
Day 3 (2000 cals)
Breakfast = Shakeology with PB2, 1 cup Cheerios (dry, no milk)
AM Snack = Yogurt (no sugar added, fat free)
Lunch = Chick Fil-A Grilled Chkn Sandwich, Fruit cup
PM Snack =protein bar
PM Snack =1.5 scoops whey protein powder
Dinner = 2 Tilapia fillets (baked), brown rice, broccoli
Day 4 (1900 cals)
Breakfast = Shakeology with PB2, Egg White Omelette (with diced ham, veggies)
AM Snack = 1.5 scoops Whey protein powder
Lunch = Chicken Salad (6 oz chicken, romaine lettuce, black beans)
PM Snack = almonds
PM Snack = protein bar
Dinner = Grilled Chicken, fruit salad (actual chopped fruit – no sugar or syrup)
Day 5 (2000 cals)
Breakfast = Shakeology with PB2, Homemade Wheat Bread (2 slices)
AM Snack = protein bar
Lunch = Chicken lunchmeat (no bread), baby carrots, apple, protein bar
PM Snack = 1.5 scoops Whey protein powder
PM Snack = Turkey Jerky
Dinner = Grilled Salmon, green beans, brocoli
Day 6 (1800 cals)
Breakfast = Shakeology with PB2, 1 cup Cheerios (dry, no milk)
AM Snack =protein bar
Lunch = Tuna, 2 cans, strawberries, blueberries, banana
PM Snack = low fat string chese, apple
PM Snack = 1.5 scoops Whey protein powder
Dinner = 1.5 Chicken breast, steamed green beans
Day 7 (1900 cals)
Breakfast = Shakeology with PB2, Homemade Wheat Bread (2 slices)
AM Snack = 1.5 scoops Whey protein powder
Lunch = Schwann’s Turkey / Veggie dinner, protein bar
PM Snack =Turkey Jerky
PM Snack = yogurt (sugar free/ fat free)
Dinner = Homemade wheat crust pizza with fat-free cheese and veggies (2 slices), romaine salad with salt/pepper (no dressing or cheese)
When eating out shoot for green salad with grilled chicken, or steamed veggies with either chicken or fish.  Dressings, butter, and bread will KILL your diet.  Avoid them like the plague!!!

P90X Day 39 Yoga X

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Just wanted to share my progress and goals! I'm mad that I got off track over the holiday and am now finally getting the to point I was at in September, but I'm human....and at least I am back on track again. Can't wait for my 90 day pic!!!

Sunday is really starting to be my favorite day of the week....Yoga is becoming more and more relaxing for me and I LOVE my food prep day!!! It really sets the tone for the rest of the week. I am currently baking my chicken and the rice cooker is on! 
I want to go shopping this week at Whole Foods because starting next week I am taking my eating commitment to a whole different level. I am to the point now that I only want to eat foods that make me FEEL good. I am not in it for the taste anymore. After a good workout, I just want something that will help my body perform the way nature intended. I am going to be using a lot of recipes ideas from Tony's book Bring It and I am referencing another P90X grad's diet. She just so happens to be in the new P90X:MC2 so I can't go wrong following in her foot steps!

Bring It!!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

So I ordered Tony Horton's book Bring It on Wednesday and it arrived yesterday!! It's like Beachbody knows I am the most impatient person ever lol I could not wait to dive it because I've heard so many good things about it!


The one thing that I've always appreciated about Tony is his no gimmick, no-nonsense attitude towards health and fitness. He has capitalized on the fact people are tired of being offered the magic pill, potion or equipment piece to solve all of their fitness problems. This book's tone is no different. Most of his suggestions are very common-sense, but he cuts through the bull so you can apply them to your life.

For people new to Tony, this book has a wealth of information that has helped change people's lives all over the world. I believe that you will find the advice refreshing because of its sincerity. It has everything you need to get started to change your life: nutrition, workouts and motivation to keep you on track. Tony really believes in being all-around fit, so expect a good mix of strength, cardio, balance, and flexibility moves throughout the program.


For those who have used P90x, this book still has some benefits. There are several challenges, maxims, and lists to follow to bring your results to the next level. If you are stuck in a rut and need some motivation, this book is definitely worth a look. As far as the workouts, they are more or less similar to p90x with some different moves here or there, but the format can still be useful.

The format allows for amazing customization. Since all the moves are included in the book with pictures, you can create your own plyo/cardio workout and make it as extreme or pedestrian as you feel you are ready for. There is also a consistent theme in the book that is focused on finding other activities outside of working out for you to engage in. This can also be helpful in finding the next step after P90x.


"Bring It" gives great ideas of other foods to eat as well as recipes. Tony Horton's humor is mixed with facts in a way to persuade the reader to do the right thing in regards to living healthy. I need constant reinforcement to stay on track

This book complements Tony Horton's greatest talent: he is a genius fitness and health communicator. His system is simple - exercise, using muscle confusion and different exercises, and eating clean, healthy food. The book covers all forms of exercise from resistance training to stretching and Yoga. This book is going to be a fantastic companion book for my P90X on the road. The book offers exercises and wonderful recipes that differ a bit from P90X - which is nice. Again, Tony excells at communicating important fitness concepts and health advice to the average American.


What really impressed me is that Tony Horton definitely wrote this book (no ghost writing for him!). His fun personality comes through and this book is a gem. I do believe this book would be hard to fully comprehend without understanding the concepts of P90x - although this does offer a different program for fitness and health. Although, admittedly, a reader could, if motivated, read the book and start a health and fitness regime.

Bottom Line: Tony offers rock solid fitness and health advice - if you follow this program - you will get in shape - I did the P90x (a similar program) and was thrilled with the results. I plan to use this book for my workouts and meals on the road when I travel. For those new comers who want to start to be introduced to what all the hype is about, I would definitely recommend this book.

Brazilian Butt Lift

Friday, March 25, 2011



I am soooo glad I added Brazilian Butt Lift back into my workout routine! I love this workout!!!
It's a lot of fun, and I love how the video jumps back & forth between the group being filmed in an indoor dance studio & the beach. The bright colors and the beach scenes make it impossible not to think about looking good in that perfect little bathing suit. In addition, Leandro's energy is infectious, and I love his accent and enthusiasm. Many of the moves also come from samba and capoeira- so it's hard to get bored. This is not your same old, same old gym routine! I was sweating like crazy this morning!!
Why spend a BORING hour on the stepper at the gym? This workout literally kicks your a$$, hitting every little muscle fiber in your butt through a variety of different moves. If you're saggy or flabby, this will whip your boo-tay into shape in short order. No joke.

The moves are relatively easy to follow and if you have any semblance of athletic ability, you'll pick it up after the first time. It gets easier and harder at the same, since the moves will flow better but you'll be pushing yourself to work harder the easier it becomes. Leandro always says, "Don't settle for less!" which actually makes sense - if you don't give it your all, the only one who gets screwed is YOU. 




Shakeology Cleanse

Wow, there are a lot of my friends and family starting the Shakeology Cleanse in the upcoming week.  I've asked a couple of them to write me a little blog blurb to share with everyone so you guys can see what everyone's experience has been like. I think the first day is the hardest, but the one thing I have heard from everyone is that by day 3 they have reduced cravings, they are not hungry and they feel amazing.  So I can't wait to hear from everyone and see their results!! I will be getting more early next week, so if you are interested in trying one- shoot me an email or scroll to the side and there is a paypal link for ya!


If you missed Jackie's experience- check it out here :)


*********Brittany's Cleanse Results are in 5.3 lbs!!!!!!!!!! I almost fell outta my chair this morning!!! 5.3 lbs is HUGE but I think the bigger victory is that she does not have the desire to drink pop! Something she was downing ALL day!!! Wow Wow WoW I can't wait for her to write her review for you guys!!!*********


Just a preview of what Brittany said about her cleanse! These are her actual messages to me :)


Day 2: I weigh myself basically every single day... always. My scale has literally not budged in weeks besides the occasional gain a pound/lose a pound, but I could NEVER get below a certain weight. This morning- two pounds less than the weight that I could never get below. I am very excited to say the least. SOOOO even though I was ready to cry at one point yesterday, I am going to stick it out. I have my bottle of Excedrin at hand... It is really sad that my body depends on caffeine so much. I wasn't hungry at all, it was just the whole lack of coffee/Diet Dr.Pepper that killed me. I went as far as going and grabbing a bottle of Diet Dr.Pepper and left it sitting on the counter in case I really needed it. I held out though and the headache passed and came back later in the night right before I left work. I just dealt with it and came home and went to bed. So today I am going to drink some black tea throughout the day as well and hopefully that will help! Thanks for all your advice! You're the best! :)


Update...i feel awesome today. I dont even want or need a pop. Ive had water all day. I cant believe it. Yayyyyy. And I feel leaner already. Maybe im crazy but I am pretty sure ive lost more today. This is much easier today than yesterday!




Final Results: OK... Are you ready?! 5.3lbs! Yayyyyy!!!!!! I would just say 5, but I'll take every ounce I got! I feel amazing. And get this... I was SOOOOO excited to be able to have my cup of coffee and egg whites this morning. I have a little routine and brew my coffee first and then drink a cup while my eggs are cooking. I took the first sip and LITERALLY almost threw it up. Are there drugs in that Shakeology or WHAT?! hahaha. I dumped it! AND... I made a cup of green tea! I know. I know.... Me, the girl who gagged like a little girl on the first day just smelling the green tea. I actually wanted it. I am going to continue to drink water first thing when I wake up. I think that is def a good way to start the day. But I'm feelin' good! 

Now... I need to know how to continue this. Adding food back in is going to be weird. So I had my egg whites with a little salsa and a slice of whole wheat toast, with my green tea. I will be going to the gym soon. After that I'll have my protein shake. Then where do I go from there? When should I drink the Shakeology? Eat? Etc? 


I am NOT picking my pop habit back up. It is going to be a treat every now and then. Hopefully my body will have the same reaction it did to the coffee and that will be the end for me. Three days with no Diet Dr. Pepper... that is a small miracle.

Oh, and another little addition... My skin and hair are like amazing today. I don't know if it's from the magic drug or because I stop drinking all the pop and replaced it with water. But BONUS!
And I LOVED getting this message:
I noticed a HUGE difference in my clothes today. Wow! I just put my gym clothes on...biggest difference is def my mid section. Soooo excited!
- THEME BY ECLAIR DESIGNS -